Abstract
A comparison was made between synthetic bioabsorbable mesh and non-absorbable mesh for the repair of tracheal defects, focusing on the wound-healing process. Patch windows measuring 1×1cm were created in the cervical trachea in dogs, and repaired using polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh grafts as a bioabsorbable mesh, or by Marlex® (Polypropylene; PP) mesh grafts as a non-absorbable mesh.
Macroscopically, there was no difference between the two mesh groups until 3 weeks after the operation, when both types of graft were completely covered with host tissue and appeared partially Iustrous. At 6 weeks in the PP-mesh group, the thickness of connective tissue over the prosthesis was remarkable, and after 9 weeks, constriction of the replaced area by scar-like tissue was evident, as compared with the PGA-mesh group, which showed no constriction.
Microscopically, at 6 weeks, epithelium covered the whole area of the mesh in both groups. However, in the PP-mesh group, flat and poorly differentiated cells occupied a large area of the mesh, and after 9 weeks the height of the epithelial cells in the PP-mesh group was obviously less than that in the PGA-mesh group. Furthermore in the PP-mesh group, non-ciliated cells occupied a larger area even at 15 weeks, and the submucous connective tissue layer was apparently thicker than that in the PGA-mesh group after 6 weeks.
